Root feeding device



April 25, 1950 R. DANIELs RooT FEEDING DEVICE Filed Sept. 18, 1946 dI @mi 5 5 MMM Patented Apr. 25, ..1950

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICB V 2,505,174 I ROOT FEEDINGI DEVICE Ross Daniels, Des Moine/s,Y Iowa Application'september 1s, 1946, slriaiNo. 697,754

such as trees, bushes, shrubs and the like, fer` tilizers and plant foods are required to supplement the plant'food in the soil, or to supply food toi fWo'rn out 'soil.` -Plant'foods now in common useare -generally spread or buried near the `plant and dependrupon rain or soil moisture for disintegration andfpenetration into the feeding zonefor the' plant roots. f' This procedure is generally unsatisfactory 'due to the fact that in many cases the plant food 'is washed away from the plantsl or works upwardly through the 'soil so as to be out'of the feeding zone for the plants;

Itis an object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved nozzle device for supplyin plant food tothe roots of a plant. i i

' lA 4further object' of this device is to provide a nozzle device which is insertable into the ground and adapted to supply a plantV food directly into the plant feeding system or below s'uch' system for `travel upwardly through the plant feeding system. vYet another object ofthis invention is to provide a yground inserting nozzle device which isattachable tothe endof ausual gardenhoseand constructed with a plant food container formed as part of theinozzle water passage system, so that the plantfood from the container is carried in the water for distribution .to the root system ofthe plant. v

A particular feature of this invention is found in the provision of a ground inserting nozzle device Vfor supplying food to the rootsv of a `plant in which a removable transparentplant food container forms part ofthe nozzle water passage system. The disintegrating action of the water on the plant food is vthus always visible to assure the container always being filled with a plant food during a root feeding operation.

Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become apparent'from the following description when taken in connection with' the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a reduced side elevational view of the nozzle device of: -this invention illustrating the of the ziolaims. (o1. 11i- 7.15

With reference to the drawings, the nozzle device fofthis invention is illustrated in Fig. .2 as'A including a tubular or-hollow body member lli having one end I I `adapted for threadable con-` nection with a usual garden hose I2. Extended within the opposite Vend -I=3 ofI the body memberV il! is a valve unit, indicated generally asl I4, for controlling the fiow ofY water through an outlet l 5; which is formed in one-side of the body member I5. The valve-unit I4 has -a `valve stem I6 provided at its outerfend with ahand grip I'I. A` valve member-IB, at the inner end .of the valve stern it, is engageable with ari-annular valve seat IS-which is projected/inwardly of the central bore orfpassage-Z offthefbody'member I8-, l The valve stem- |6-is rotatably extendedthrough a packing member A22, which vcloses the body member I0. at itsend-l3,-and= is threaded within the body member at ZI. Y

It is seen, therefore, that on rotation of the hand grip I'I in one direction, the valve member I8 is raised from its seat I9 to permit a low'of waterthrough the inletJ II. and passage 20 through the outlet I5. On rotation of the hand grip Ilin an opposite direction, the valve IB is engaged with the seat I9 to Vstop any flow of` water through the outlet l5. The outer end of the outlet I5 is formed with an annular shoulder 23 arranged within a laterally projectedperipheral rim 25 for a purpose which will appear later,

Integrally formed with the body member I0 and extended' outwardly from the outlet I5 isa substantially U-shaped support 24 having the legs thereof arranged at Vopposite sides of the outletv I5. IA tubular coupling member 2 'isV threadable in the base 2'! of the U support 24 in substantial coaxial alignment with the outlet I5: rThe inner end ofthecoupling member 26 is integrally formed with a finger grip member 28 `(ligs. 2 and13) to facilitate the axial adjustmentof the couplingmember. Formed within the top surface ofthe handv grip member 28 is an annularlshoulder' 29 arranged within an upstanding'peripheral rim 3U.

A tubular member 3|, composed of a transparent material such as' glass or aplastic, is of a size adapted to have its 'opposite ends received Within the annular rims `25 and `3th The tube member 3l is maintained within the rims 25 and 3D by rotation of the coupling member 2B to an inwardly axially moved yposition providing for the member 3AI being clamped between the shoulders-23 and 29. The'transparent member 3|' is uid sealed with the body member lfand the coupling member 26 by gasket members 32 and v32a arranged between the opposite ends of the transparent member and the shoulders 23 and 29, respectively. y

A nozzle member 33 includes a pipe member 35 having its inner end 34 threaded within the outer end 36 of the coupling member 26. Threaded within the outer end of the pipe 35 is a solid nozzle tip 38 which is integrally formed with a conical outer end 39 having a pair of oppositely arranged guide wings or ribs 4|. The nozzle tip 38 is of a solid construction and adapted for ground penetration purposes only (Figs. 2 and 4) The pipe 35, adjacent to the nozzle tip 4|, is formed with a series of outlet openings 42. It is seen, therefore, that lwhen the valve |4 is in an open position, Water from the inlet flows through the passage 23, outlet I5, transparent tube 3|, the coupling member 26 and the pipe 35 for passage outwardly from the nozzle device and into the ground through the pipe openings 42.

f In the use of the nozzle device of this invention a plant food in tablet or solid form, indicated at 43, is placed within the transparent tube 3| which constitutes a removable container for the plant food. The supply of a plant food to the tubeY or -container 3| is simply accomplished by' merely rotating the coupling member 26 :and nozzle member 33 as a unit for movement in a direction outwardly from the outlet I5 until the outer end of the tube 3| is free of the coupling member 26. VAfter the plant food 43 has been inserted Within the transparent container or tube 3|, the tube is readily clamped Within the nozzle device by merely inserting its inner end within the Vrim 25 and then moving the tubular member 26'into engagement with its outer end. Positioned within the rim 30 between the gasket 32a and the shoulder 29 is an annular screen, or perforated member 4, which has a raised central portion 45 lextended within the outer end of the tube 3|. f

lThe plant food 43 may contain general nutrient plant foods such as nitrogen, potassium, calcium and certain trace elements and when acted upon by water disintegrates partially into solution with the Water and partially as particles suspended in solution. The plant food tablet is of a size somewhat less than the size of the transparent tube 3| so as to permit a free ow of water thereabout and through the tube 3|.

With the plant food in the container 3|, the nozzle member 33 is inserted within the ground, in a manner illustrated in Fig. 1, by gripping the body member I0 in one hand and pushing in adownward direction thereon. During this insertion of the nozzle device, the tube 3| is Without any strain, -by virtue of the support of the nozzle member 33 within the base 21 of the U member 24, and the assembly of the tube 3| between the inner end 'of the coupling member 26 and the outlet I5. It is thus seen that any forces applied on the body member I0 are carried directly by the support 24 to the nozzle member 33.

The nozzle member 33 may be inserted into the ground either before or after the valve i4 is manipulated to an open position, depending upon the nature of the soil being treated. It is contemplated that the pipe member 35 be in the neighborhood of about thirty-two inches long so that it is capable of being extended into the ground a distance sunicient to supply food to the roots of trees. For smaller plants, it is only necessary that the nozzle member 33 be partially inserted within the ground.

With the valve |4 in an open position, the Passage of the water through the nozzle device and outwardly therefrom through the openings 42 provides for a gradual wearing away or disintegration of the plant food 43. The perforated member 44 acts to maintain the plant food 43 within the tube or container 3| against washing downwardly within the pipe 35 as it becomes used. It is to be understood that the perforations in the member 44 are of a size to permit small particles of the plant food 43 passing therethrough in suspension in the water for travel outwardly through the openings 42.

' By virtue of the transparent construction of the tube 3| the progress of disintegration of the plant food 43 by the action of the water is completely visibleso that the tube 3| can be refilled whenevernecessary. Stopping of the feeding operation to determine the supply of plant rood in the tube 3| is thus eliminated, as is also any chance of operating the nozzle device after the supply of plant food in the tube 3| has been exhausted. e

From the above description it is seen that the invention provides a nozzle device for supplying a plant food to the roots of plants which is of a simple and compact construction, readily adapted for use with a usual garden hose, and including a plant food container which constitutes a re movable conduit in the water passage system ofr the nozzle. This removable container is of a transparent construction so'that the supply of plant food in the device is completely visible at all times, and with the container being supported in the device so as to be entirely free of any strains or stresses -resulting from manual1y inserting the device Within the ground.

Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that parts thereof may be arranged and changes and modifications made therein, all in a manner which are within the full intended scope of this invention, as denned by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A nozzle device'for supplying a plant food to the roots of plants comprising, a tubular body member connectible at one endv with a source of water supply, an outlet in one side of said body member, valve means positioned in the other end of said body member for controlling the flow of water through'said outlet, a nozzle member for insertion in the ground, a substantially U-shaped support projected laterally from said one side of the body member, means supporting said nozzle member at the outer end of said U support for adjustable axialV movement, and a transparent tubular member adapted to be releasably clamped between said nozzle member and said outlet on axial movement of said nozzle member in one direction, with said transparent member constituting a container for a plant food.

' 2. A nozzle device for supplying a plant food to the roots of plants comprising, a tubular body member connectible at one end with a source of water supply, an outlet in one side of said body member having an outwardly extended annular rim, a valve in the opposite end of said body member for controlling the flow of water through said outlet, a U-shaped support projected outwardly from said one side, a tubular coupling member threadably supported in the base of said U support in substantial coaxial alignment with said outlet, with the inner end of said coupling member beingformed with an axially projected annular rim, a nozzle member for insertion in the ground threadable Within the outer end of said coupling member, a removable glass tube having the opposite ends thereof receivable in said annular rims, said. glass tube, on rotation of said coupling member in one direction, being clamped between said outlet and said coupling u member, and a, perforated annular member positioned across the outer end of said glass tube, With said glass tube constituting a, container for a plant food.

ROSS DANIELS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Lyon June 30, 1896 Bruce Oct. 8, 1935 MCFee May 20, 1941 Merrick Apr. 29, 1947 

